Collar-stay.



H. A. ALDRED.

COLLAR STAY.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 12, 1909.

Patented July 20, 1909.

FIGI

ZFIGI.

Wm M WITNESSES:

HORACE A. ALDRED, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

COLLAR-STAY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. March 12, 1909.

Patented July 20, 1909.

Serial No. 483,003.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HORACE A. ALDRED, of

Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collar-Stays, whereof the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in collar stays such as shown in my co-pending application Serial No. 463,152,filed November 18, 1908,which stays are constructed of light, inconspicuous, flexible material in skeleton form.

An object of the invention is to provide a stay of this character with jointed and extensible parts, so as to permit it to be adjusted to conform in size, and configuration to the taste of the wearer. To this end it combines laterally extensible horizontal strips and also extensible vertical strips, with pivoted joints to permit adjustment to the neck of the wearer. It also includes extensible curved strips for determining the contour of the upper edge of the collar, accord ing to the taste of the wearer.

My invention further relates to the construction of the small metal bands by which the overlapping strips are united with capacity for extension, and also to a combined hook and eyelet which may be employed to facilitate the joining of the front edges of my collar stay.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I, is a perspective view of a collar stay embodying my invention. Fig. II, is a lan view of the same when flattened. Fig. II, is a section along the line III, III, of Fig. II. Fig. IV, is an enlarged view of one of the bands. Fig. V, is a fragmentary rear view of the collar sta and shows the hooks and eyelets to which have made reference.

My collar stay is built up by uniting or jointing together flat strips of light, flexible and inconspicuous material, as for instance, transparent celluloid. The strips may be of any convenient width, but I prefer a strip a little over a quarter of an inch wide. The base of the collar stay is formed from a convenient number (say four), of these strips 1. The joint between these at the median line of the collar stay is formed by an eyelet 2, providing a ivotal joint which permits varia tion in t e pitch of the sides of the base. The other joints of the base are formed by uniting the overla ping ends of the adjoining strips by means 0 sliding bands 3, which are very light and inconspicuous. I prefer to form them as shown in Fig. IV, which is a very much enlarged view of one of the bands. As here seen, 4, is a strip of brass, bent around in rectangular shape with the ends touching as near as maybe, and with pro-' vision of a small lug 5, formed as a rojection at one side of the brass strip, and ent over as shown so as to enter a convenient distance into the stri to which it is attached, without passing 0 ean through it, in which case it would occasion scratching or friction. Two of these bands are attached in this way to the extremities of adjoining strips, and by turning the said'bands in o posite directions and passing through each t e free end ofthe other stri an extensiblejoint is formed, permitting t e adjustment of the base to any required length.

An intermediate horizontal band formed of pieces 6, 6, may be provided, of which no further description is necessary as it is the same as the base. The base and this band are united by uprights 7 ,8, and 9, each being rendered extensible by the banding together of two pieces as heretofore explained. The I said uprights are joined to the horizontalportions by eyelets, so as to permit pivotal adjustment.

The upper edge of the collar stay is formed of a number of curved pieces or strips 10, 10, 10. In the present instance six of said curved pieces are shown, but the number may vary. The joint'at the median line is formed by an eyelet 11, so as to provide fora pivotal motion at this point, but the other joints are made by means of sliding bands such as have been described, so as to provide for the proper extension of this curved upper edge. The curvature of the overlapplng pieces should be such as to accommodate itself to the movement of extension which is desired. This is sufficiently illustrated in the drawings, and will be readily understood. At the upper corners the extremities of the pieces which form this upper or contour edge are united to the uprights which form the edges of the collar stay by means of the eyelets 13. These eyelets 13, and any or all of the eyelets which pierce the uprights which form the edges of my collar stay may at one edge be provided with hooked extensions 14, as shown in Fig. V. These hooked extenfully uphold the upper edge of the collarv against considerable ressure tending to depress lt. For eXamp e, a usual ad ustment of my collar stay may be eflected by bending the horizontal bands on their median pivot, so as to produce a pomted efi'ect in front, by shortening the upper bands, or lengthening the base, this adjustment may be aecomplished without disturbing the right angled relation 01' the base and the edge uprights, the diilerence being taken up on the up er extensible strips, thus producing a co lar stay of slightly less circumference along the upper edge than along the lower edge, conforming to the natural contour of the neclr.

Having thus described my invention, I claim V 1.. A collar stay comprising an upper edge or contour strip of curved form each half of said upper edge being composed of a plurality of curved smaller strips, the overlapping edges of which are extensibly connected.

2. A collar stay comprising a curved upper edge member composed of curved strips, uprights at the end of the stay, means for pivotally connecting said curved upper edge member to said uprights, a base consisting of strips pivoted at one end to said end uprights, and at the other end to each other, and an upright strip connected to the pivoted ends of said strips forming the base and to the curved up er edge member.

3. A latera y extensible collar stay comprising two half sections, each of which consists of a composite base and also a composite curved upper or contour edge, the overlap ping strips of both being banded together and inter oclred with ca )acity for extension.

4. An extensible collar stay comprising strips overlapping, small metal bands provided with turned in projections which enter into but do not pass through the strip to which they are attached for eXtensibly connecting the overlapping strips.

5. ally jointed by means of eyelets, one or more such eyelets situated along the edge of the strip being provided with hooks which engage the corresponding eye at the other edge.

6. A collar stay comprising curved upper edge members, spaced strips, end uprights to which said spaced strips and the upper curved edge members are pivoted, and an upright located intermediate the ends of said stay to which the other ends of said spaced strips and curved upper edge members are pivoted.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this eleventh day of March 1909.

HORACE A. ALDRED.

Witnesses: 7

JAMES H. BELL, E. L. FULLERTON.

A collar stay composed of strips pivot- 

